How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make in Chattanooga, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Hygienists in Chattanooga, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chattanooga metro area
A typical Dental Hygienist in Chattanooga, Tennessee earns $40.12 per hour, or $83,460 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,955 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $62,780, and the top 10% of earners make over $97,510.
That pay is 1% below the Tennessee figure of $84,640 and 15% below the national figure of $98,100. Chattanooga ranks 3rd of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for Dental Hygienist pay. About 460 Dental Hygienists work in the Chattanooga area.
Dental Hygienist pay in Chattanooga at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.12 an hour, or $83,460 a year.
- That is 1% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $62,780; the top 10% make over $97,510.
- Typical pay rose +27% from 2015 to 2025, against +26% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Chattanooga?
Pay in Chattanooga runs from entry-level positions at around $30.18 an hour to more than $46.88 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
Dental Hygienist pay by career stage in Chattanooga
| Career stage | Chattanooga | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $62,780$30.18 an hour | $76,190$36.63 an hour | $74,880$36.00 an hour |
| First years | $80,950$38.92 an hour | $80,380$38.64 an hour | $83,570$40.18 an hour |
| Typical Dental Hygienist | $83,460$40.12 an hour | $84,640$40.69 an hour | $98,100$47.16 an hour |
| Experienced | $92,710$44.57 an hour | $94,240$45.31 an hour | $108,480$52.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $97,510$46.88 an hour | $98,300$47.26 an hour | $126,050$60.60 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chattanooga area as BLS defines it
Dental Hygienist pay growth in Chattanooga
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Hygienists in the Chattanooga area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Hygienist pay in Chattanooga was $65,930 a year. By 2025 it had reached $83,460, a change of +27%, compared with +26% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Chattanooga compares with other Tennessee cities
Nashville pays Dental Hygienists the most in Tennessee at $94,030 a year, $10,570 more than Chattanooga. The lowest-paying area in the state is Memphis at $78,580.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chattanooga | Dental Hygienists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville | $94,030 | $45.21 | +13% | 1,490 |
| 2 | Knoxville | $84,640 | $40.69 | +1% | 590 |
| 3 | Chattanooga | $83,460 | $40.12 | this city | 460 |
| 4 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $82,870 | $39.84 | -1% | 210 |
| 5 | Jackson | $82,750 | $39.78 | -1% | 110 |
| 6 | Clarksville | $81,260 | $39.07 | -3% | 200 |
| 7 | Morristown | $81,040 | $38.96 | -3% | 70 |
| 8 | Johnson City | $80,070 | $38.49 | -4% | 140 |
| 9 | Cleveland | $79,880 | $38.40 | -4% | 90 |
| 10 | Memphis | $78,580 | $37.78 | -6% | 650 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Dental Hygienist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $84,640
Is Chattanooga a good place to work as a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists in Chattanooga earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $83,460 a year, 15% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chattanooga area, about 1.7 are Dental Hygienist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.4. That makes the local economy more reliant on Dental Hygienists than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make in Chattanooga, TN?
- A typical Dental Hygienist in Chattanooga earns $83,460 a year, or $40.12 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $62,780 and the top 10% earn over $97,510.
- How much does a Dental Hygienist make an hour in Chattanooga?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Hygienists in Chattanooga is $40.12. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.18, and the top 10% earn over $46.88 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Hygienist in Chattanooga?
- Entry-level Dental Hygienist positions in Chattanooga typically offer around $30.18 an hour, or $62,780 a year.
- Is Dental Hygienist pay in Chattanooga higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Chattanooga pay is 1% below the Tennessee figure of $84,640 a year, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state. Nashville pays the most in Tennessee at $94,030.